History of Donald Trump Jr. in Timeline
Donald John Trump Jr. is an American businessman, political activist, and the eldest child of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ivana Trump. He has been actively involved in the Trump Organization and has played a prominent role in his father's political campaigns. He is often referred to as Don Jr. and has been a vocal supporter of his father's policies and political agenda. Beyond his business ventures, he has also become a notable figure in conservative media and political circles.
December 31, 1977: Donald Trump Jr. Born
On December 31, 1977, Donald John Trump Jr., nicknamed Don Jr., was born. He is the eldest child of Donald Trump and Ivana Trump.
2000: Moved to Aspen, Colorado
After graduating from Penn in 2000, Donald Trump Jr. moved to Aspen, Colorado, where he hunted, fished, skied, lived in a truck, and worked as a bartender for a year before returning to join the Trump Organization.
2000: Graduated from Wharton School
In 2000, Donald Trump Jr. graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School with a B.S. in Economics.
2003: Began Dating Vanessa Haydon
In 2003, Donald Trump Jr. began dating model Vanessa Kay Haydon, at his father's suggestion, marking the beginning of their relationship.
November 12, 2005: Married Vanessa Haydon
On November 12, 2005, Donald Trump Jr. married Vanessa Kay Haydon at his father's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The service was officiated by Trump Jr.'s aunt, Judge Maryanne Trump Barry.
2006: Launched Trump Mortgage and Appeared on The Apprentice
In 2006, Donald Trump Jr. helped launch Trump Mortgage and also appeared as a guest advisor and judge on The Apprentice.
May 2007: Daughter Kai Madison Born
In May 2007, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their first child, a daughter named Kai Madison.
2007: Donated to Hillary Clinton's Campaign
In 2007, Donald Trump Jr. gave $4,000 to then-Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
2008: Original Hurricane Ike Picture of Anderson Cooper
In 2008, the picture of Anderson Cooper that Donald Trump Jr. tweeted in September 2018, was taken during Hurricane Ike.
February 2009: Son Donald John III Born
In February 2009, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their second child, a son named Donald John Trump III.
2010: Became Spokesperson for Cambridge Who's Who
In 2010, Donald Trump Jr. became a spokesperson and "executive director of global branding" for Cambridge Who's Who.
2010: Took Hunting Trophy Pictures
In 2010, Donald Trump Jr. took pictures of his hunting trophies, which were published in 2012, including photos with a dead leopard and an elephant tail, leading to controversy.
October 2011: Son Tristan Milos Born
In October 2011, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their third child, a son named Tristan Milos.
2011: Criticism of Frederica Wilson
In 2011, Donald Trump Jr. responded to criticism of the Tea Party movement by Florida representative Frederica Wilson by confusing Wilson with California representative Maxine Waters and saying her colorful hats made her look like a stripper.
October 2012: Son Spencer Frederick Born
In October 2012, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their fourth child, a son named Spencer Frederick.
2012: Hunting Trophy Photos Published, Controversy Erupted
In 2012, controversy erupted after pictures of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies from 2010 were published. This led to criticism from anti-hunting activists, and at least one sponsor dropped his father's television show, "The Celebrity Apprentice".
June 2014: Daughter Chloe Sophia Born
In June 2014, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their fifth child, a daughter named Chloe Sophia.
2015: Last Season on The Apprentice
2015 marked the last season Donald Trump Jr. appeared on his father's reality television show The Apprentice.
2015: Hunting Trophy Photos Reposted
In 2015, Mia Farrow reposted the hunting trophy photos Donald Trump Jr. had taken in 2010, further fueling the controversy.
March 1, 2016: Interview with White Supremacist James Edwards
On March 1, 2016, an interview with white supremacist James Edwards and Donald Trump Jr. was aired. The Trump campaign initially denied that the interview took place, but later Trump Jr. claimed it was unintentional. This interview led to accusations from mainstream media outlets that Trump Jr. either believes in the white genocide conspiracy theory or is pretending to believe it for political gain.
June 9, 2016: Meeting at Trump Tower
On June 9, 2016, Donald Trump Jr. attended a meeting at Trump Tower with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya and others, arranged by publicist Rob Goldstone, who represented Azerbaijani-Russian businessman Emin Agalarov.
August 2016: Meeting with UAE and Saudi Emissary
In August 2016, Donald Trump Jr. had a meeting with an emissary for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia who offered help to the Trump presidential campaign.
September 2016: Controversies Arising from Clinton Criticism and Pepe the Frog Image
In September 2016, Donald Trump Jr. used Holocaust imagery to criticize what he saw as the mainstream media's favorable coverage of Hillary Clinton. During the same month, Trump Jr. shared an image on Instagram that depicted a cross between his father and Pepe the Frog. When questioned about Pepe the Frog's association with white supremacy on Good Morning America, Trump Jr. claimed he had never heard of it and thought it was just a "frog with a wig".
2016: Central Member of Father's Campaign
Ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump Jr. was a central member of his father's campaign and spoke at the Republican National Convention.
2016: Skittles Tweet Controversy
During his father's presidential campaign, Donald Trump Jr. caused controversy in 2016 when he posted an image that compared Syrian refugees to Skittles, leading to condemnation from the candy's makers.
2016: WikiLeaks Solicited Cooperation of Trump Jr.
During the 2016 election, WikiLeaks actively solicited the cooperation of Donald Trump Jr., urging the Trump campaign to reject the results and sharing a link to the hacked e-mails of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta.
2016: Correspondence with Julian Assange
During the 2016 presidential election, Julian Assange used the WikiLeaks Twitter account to correspond with Donald Trump Jr.
2016: Influenced Interior Secretary Choice
In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. influenced his father's choice of Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, during the presidential transition.
2016: Active in Father's 2016 Presidential Campaign
In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. was active in his father's 2016 presidential campaign and had a meeting with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
January 11, 2017: Oversight of Trump Organization Trust
On January 11, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. and his brother Eric were announced to oversee a trust that included the Trump Organization's assets while his father was president, to avert a conflict of interest.
April 2017: Campained for Greg Gianforte
In April 2017, Donald Trump Jr. campaigned for Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte.
April 2017: Praise for Conspiracy Theorist Mike Cernovich
In April 2017, Donald Trump Jr. praised conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich, who has promoted the debunked white genocide and Pizzagate conspiracy theories. Trump Jr. stated, "In a long gone time of unbiased journalism he'd win the Pulitzer".
May 2017: Promotion of Conspiracy Theories Involving Bill Clinton
In May 2017, Donald Trump Jr. promoted what CNN described as the "long-debunked, far-right conspiracy theory" that Bill Clinton was connected to the death of Vince Foster. In November of the same year, Trump Jr. further promoted the conspiracy theory that the Clintons had murdered people.
July 8, 2017: Tweeted Email Exchange with Rob Goldstone
On July 8, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted his email exchange with Rob Goldstone, revealing his agreement to attend the Trump Tower meeting with the understanding he would receive information damaging to Hillary Clinton. It also revealed that the Russian government was involved. Robert Mueller investigated the emails and the meeting.
September 2017: Requested Removal of Secret Service Detail
In September 2017, Donald Trump Jr. asked to have his Secret Service detail removed, citing a desire for more privacy, but his protection was restored later that month.
November 2017: News broke of Correspondence with Julian Assange
In November 2017, news broke that Julian Assange had used the WikiLeaks Twitter account to correspond with Donald Trump Jr. during the 2016 presidential election.
2017: Overpayment for Event Space at Trump Hotel During Inauguration
In 2017, Donald Trump Jr. allegedly played a role in "grossly overpaying" for event space at the Trump Hotel in Washington for the inauguration, leading to a criminal investigation into misuse of his father's inaugural funds as reported on January 14, 2021.
2017: Trump's Description of Trump Jr.
In 2017, Donald Trump described Donald Trump Jr. as "not the sharpest knife in the drawer".
2017: Hunted Prairie Dogs in Montana
On Earth Day in 2017, Donald Trump Jr. legally hunted prairie dogs in Montana with GOP Congressional candidate Greg Gianforte.
February 2018: Liking Tweets Promoting Conspiracy Theories About Stoneman Douglas Survivors
In February 2018, Donald Trump Jr. liked two tweets that promoted a conspiracy theory suggesting that survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting were coached into propagating anti-Trump rhetoric.
February 2018: Advertisements for Trump Organization Apartments in India
In February 2018, advertisements in Indian newspapers promoted a deal whereby anyone who purchased Trump Organization apartments in Gurgaon before February 20 would be invited to have a "conversation and dinner" with Donald Trump Jr. These ads were criticized as unethical.
March 15, 2018: Separation Announced, Divorce Filed
On March 15, 2018, the separation of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon was announced, and Haydon filed for an uncontested divorce in Manhattan Supreme Court. Later it was revealed that the divorce was contested.
May 2018: Retweet of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory About George Soros
In May 2018, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a false and antisemitic conspiracy theory claiming that George Soros, a Jewish Hungarian-American businessman and philanthropist, was a "nazi [sic] who turned in his fellow Jews to be murdered in German concentration camps & stole their wealth". The tweets originated from Roseanne Barr.
June 2018: Liking Tweet Suggesting Migrant Children Were Actors
In June 2018, Donald Trump Jr. liked a tweet suggesting that the migrant children separated from their parents due to the Trump administration family separation policy were actually actors.
September 2018: Tweeting Misleading Image of Anderson Cooper During Hurricane Florence
In September 2018, as Hurricane Florence impacted the United States, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a picture of CNN journalist Anderson Cooper in floodwaters. Trump Jr. also included a link to a Breitbart News article claiming that CNN's ratings had dropped and proposed a conspiracy theory that CNN was "lying to try to make [his father, President Trump] look bad".
2018: Campagined for Republicans
During the 2018 midterm elections, Donald Trump Jr. campaigned for several Republican candidates.
2018: Actively Campaigned for Republican Candidates
During the 2018 midterms election cycle, Donald Trump Jr. actively campaigned on behalf of Republican candidates, raised millions of dollars, and is credited with helping Republican candidates win.
2018: Started Dating Kimberly Guilfoyle
In 2018, Donald Trump Jr. began dating Kimberly Guilfoyle, who had been friends with the Trump family for years.
February 22, 2019: Divorce Settlement Announced
On February 22, 2019, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon announced that they had settled their divorce at the end of 2018.
June 2019: Criminal Referral to Federal Prosecutors
In June 2019, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee made a criminal referral of Donald Trump Jr. to federal prosecutors on suspicions that he misled the committee with his testimony.
July 2019: Appearance at "We Build the Wall" Event
In July 2019, Donald Trump Jr. appeared at a far-right "We Build the Wall" event with Jack Posobiec, as reported by the Southern Poverty Law Center in August 2020.
November 2019: Tweeting Name of Alleged Whistleblower in Trump-Ukraine Scandal
In November 2019, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted the name of the alleged whistleblower who brought to light the Trump-Ukraine scandal, despite whistleblower conventions intending to protect the identity of individuals who expose government wrongdoing.
December 11, 2019: Mongolia Granted Retroactive Hunting Permit
On December 11, 2019, ProPublica revealed that the government of Mongolia retroactively granted Donald Trump Jr. a hunting permit for the endangered Argali mountain sheep. The sheep hunt and a meeting with the Mongolian president cost U.S. taxpayers $76,859.36 for Secret Service protection.
2019: Authored Triggered
In 2019, Donald Trump Jr. authored the book "Triggered".
2019: Public Persona as Right-Wing Provocateur
In 2019, Donald Trump Jr. developed a "public persona as a right-wing provocateur and ardent defender of Trumpism".
2019: Release of "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us"
In 2019, Donald Trump Jr. released the book "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us". The book criticizes political correctness and argues that the American left has a victimhood complex. The book generated controversy and was critically panned.
2019: Hunting Trophy Photos Reposted Again
In 2019, Mia Farrow again reposted the hunting trophy photos Donald Trump Jr. had taken in 2010, continuing the controversy.
February 2020: Agreed to Alaska Hunting Trip
In February 2020, Donald Trump Jr. agreed to go on a hunting trip in Alaska with the winner of a fundraising auction for Safari Club International.
May 2020: False Accusation Against Joe Biden
In May 2020, Donald Trump Jr. falsely accused Joe Biden of being a pedophile.
June 2020: Accusation of Hypocrisy Against Liberals During COVID-19 Pandemic
In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Donald Trump Jr. accused liberals of hypocrisy for imposing restrictive measures on businesses while holding the "Action for Black Trans Lives" protest.
July 2020: Twitter Restriction for COVID-19 Misinformation
In July 2020, Donald Trump Jr. received a 12-hour restriction from Twitter after he promoted misinformation about COVID-19 by retweeting a video promoting hydroxychloroquine as a cure and claiming masks were unnecessary. Twitter cited a violation of its COVID-19 misinformation policy.
August 2020: Sharing Breitbart News Article About Dead People Voting
In August 2020, Donald Trump Jr. shared a Breitbart News article about more than 800 dead people voting in Michigan, suggesting voter fraud. However, the voters in question died after submitting their ballots, and the ballots were rejected by Michigan authorities.
August 2020: Southern Poverty Law Center Reports Trump Jr.'s Appearance at "We Build the Wall" Event
In August 2020, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that Donald Trump Jr. appeared at a far-right "We Build the Wall" event with Jack Posobiec in July 2019.
September 2020: Pushing False Claims About Voter Fraud
In September 2020, Donald Trump Jr. pushed false claims about voter fraud, asserting that the "radical left" was planning to "steal" the election from his father. He also asked "able-bodied" people to join an election security "army".
October 2020: "Don Jr. 2024" Flag Photo
In October 2020, Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo to his Instagram account of a "Don Jr. 2024" flag, fueling speculation for a 2024 run for president.
October 2020: Suggested Senate Run and Crowded Rally
In October 2020, Pennsylvania Republicans suggested Donald Trump Jr. run for the vacant Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2022, and he held a crowded indoor rally where attendees did not wear masks.
October 28, 2020: RNC Purchased "Liberal Privilege" in Bulk
On October 28, 2020, the RNC paid over $300,000 to Pursuit Venture LLC, a company owned by Donald Trump Jr., for "donor mementos". This was the most money the RNC had ever spent for this purpose, and it is believed that they were purchasing copies of "Liberal Privilege" to give to donors who contributed $50–$100.
October 29, 2020: Criticizing Media's Focus on COVID-19 Infections
On October 29, 2020, Donald Trump Jr. criticized the media's focus on new COVID-19 infections rather than deaths, stating on Fox News that "the number is almost nothing" and "we've gotten control of this". However, on that same day, the United States registered approximately 1,000 COVID-19 deaths.
November 2020: Advocating 'Total War' Instead of Vote Counting
In November 2020, Donald Trump Jr. advocated "total war" instead of completing the vote count in the 2020 United States elections, playing a prominent role in his father's attempts to overturn the election results.
November 2020: Suggesting COVID-19 Vaccine Was Held Back to Hurt His Father's Election Chances
In November 2020, after Pfizer announced the development of a COVID-19 vaccine with 90% effectiveness, Donald Trump Jr. suggested that the vaccine's release had been delayed to negatively impact his father's chances of winning the election.
2020: Authored Liberal Privilege
In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. authored the book "Liberal Privilege".
2020: Self-Published "Liberal Privilege"
In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. self-published the book "Liberal Privilege: Joe Biden and the Democrats' Defense of the Indefensible", detailing his criticisms of Joe Biden. He hired researchers and spent three months writing the book, citing being "stuck indoors" during the pandemic as his motivation. He chose to self-publish to leverage his own platform and the potential for bulk purchases from the RNC.
2020: Active in Father's 2020 Presidential Campaign
In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. was active in his father's 2020 presidential campaign, often being on the campaign trail and being featured in the news for making unfounded claims. He called for "total war" as the results were counted and promoted the stolen election conspiracy theory. Following his father's defeat, he engaged in attempts to overturn the results.
December 31, 2020: Reportedly Engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle
On December 31, 2020, Donald Trump Jr.'s 43rd birthday, he reportedly became engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle.
January 6, 2021: Speech at Rally Preceding U.S. Capitol Attack
On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. spoke at a rally with his father and other speakers, warning reluctant GOP lawmakers that "we're coming for you". Following the rally, the crowd marched to the US Capitol building, where they forced entry, resulting in deaths and vandalism.
January 8, 2021: Claim About Free Speech After Father's Twitter Ban
On January 8, 2021, following his father's permanent ban from Twitter, Donald Trump Jr. claimed that free speech "no longer exists in America".
January 11, 2021: D.C. Attorney General Considers Charging Trump Jr. for Inciting Capitol Attack
On January 11, 2021, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine stated that Donald Trump Jr. is a person of interest in the criminal investigation of the attack on the U.S. Capitol and is considering whether to charge him with inciting the violent attack.
January 14, 2021: Trump Jr. a Person of Interest in Inaugural Funds Misuse Investigation
On January 14, 2021, it was reported that Donald Trump Jr. is a person of interest in the criminal investigation into misuse of his father's inaugural funds in Washington D.C., and prosecutors intend to interview him about his role in "grossly overpaying" for event space at the Trump Hotel for the 2017 inauguration.
January 2021: Mention of January 6th Congressional Decision in Text Message
Donald Trump Jr.'s text message to Mark Meadows in April 2022 referenced the potential for the election outcome to be decided by Congress on January 6, 2021, as part of a plan to subvert the Electoral College process.
January 2021: Potential Incitement Investigation
In January 2021, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia said that he is looking at whether to charge Donald Trump Jr. with inciting the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol in the criminal investigation into the attack.
March 5, 2021: Civil Lawsuit Filed Against Trump Jr. for Inciting Riot
On March 5, 2021, Representative Eric Swalwell filed a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr. and others, seeking damages for their alleged role in inciting the January 6th riot.
December 2021: Switched Residency to Florida
In December 2021, Donald Trump Jr. officially switched his residency from New York to Florida.
December 2021: Text Messages Revealed Trump Jr. Begging Meadows to Stop the Attack
In December 2021, text messages released by Meadows revealed that Donald Trump Jr. begged Meadows to persuade his father to stop the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.
January 2022: Engagement Made Public
In January 2022, news of Donald Trump Jr.'s engagement to Kimberly Guilfoyle was made public.
February 2022: Amplifying Baseless Russian Propaganda About Biological Weapons
In February 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Donald Trump Jr. amplified baseless Russian state propaganda claiming that the US and Ukraine were developing biological weapons.
April 2022: Text Message Outlining Paths to Subvert Electoral College Process
In April 2022, CNN reported that two days after the election, Donald Trump Jr. sent a text message to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process to ensure his father a second term.
April 2022: Text Message to Mark Meadows
In April 2022, it was reported that two days after the 2020 election, Trump Jr. sent a text message to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process and ensure his father a second term.
May 2022: $750,000 Settlement Reached in Inaugural Committee Lawsuit
In May 2022, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine reached a $750,000 settlement with the inaugural committee related to the misuse of funds, without requiring an admission of wrongdoing.
2022: Suggested Senate Run
In October 2020, Pennsylvania Republicans suggested Donald Trump Jr. run for the vacant Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2022.
2023: Launched Podcast: Triggered with Don Jr
In 2023, Donald Trump Jr. launched a podcast, "Triggered with Don Jr", on the platform Rumble.
February 16, 2024: Barred from Serving as Officer or Director
On February 16, 2024, a ruling barred Donald Trump Jr. from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York, including the Trump Organization, for two years.
May 28, 2024: Email Shown in Trump Sr.'s Trial
On May 28, 2024, an email was shown during defense closing arguments in Trump Sr.'s New York criminal trial which revealed that longtime Trump Organization comptroller Jeffrey McConnery sought approval from both Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump for reimbursement payments to Michael Cohen.
November 2024: Joined 1789 Capital as a Partner
In November 2024, Donald Trump Jr. announced that he would be joining 1789 Capital as a partner.
December 2024: Joined Board of Directors of PublicSquare
In December 2024, it was announced that Donald Trump Jr. was joining the board of directors of PublicSquare.
2024: Presidential Run Speculation
Before his father's loss in the 2020 election, Donald Trump Jr. was the subject of speculation for a 2024 run for president.
2024: Introduced JD Vance at Republican National Convention
In 2024, Donald Trump Jr. led the introductions of JD Vance, Donald Trump's running mate, at the Republican National Convention.
2024: Daughter Speaks at RNC
In 2024, Donald Trump Jr.'s oldest daughter, Kai Trump, spoke at the Republican National Convention on July 17.
2024: Engagement Ended
Sometime in 2024, Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle mutually ended their engagement.
April 2025: Opening of The Executive Branch Club
In April 2025, the Executive Branch, a Washington, D.C., private membership club opened with a party that included members of the Trump administration, "wealthy CEOs, tech founders, and policy experts". Donald Trump Jr. co-founded the club.
May 2025: Conspiracy Theory Regarding Jill Biden and Joe Biden's Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
In May 2025, after Joe Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Donald Trump Jr. launched a conspiracy theory questioning how Jill Biden, who received a doctoral degree, missed the signs and whether it was covered up.
2025: Firm Investment in Enhanced Games
In 2025, Donald Trump Jr. announced that his firm, 1789 Capital, would invest in the Enhanced Games, a proposed sports event that will allow performance enhancing drugs.
Mentioned in this timeline
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned...
Ukraine is a large country in Eastern Europe second only...
Fox News Channel FNC is a conservative American news and...
George Soros is a prominent American investor and philanthropist As...
Saudi Arabia officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA is...
Trending
Bernie Kosar is a former NFL quarterback known for his time with the Cleveland Browns After a successful college career...
17 days ago Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin: An Unlikely Collaboration in Pittsburgh?
3 months ago Jake Rogers returns from IL; Tigers designate Nido; Skubal Day in St. Louis.
27 minutes ago Selena Gomez: Bathrobe Pose, Rare Beauty Fragrance Launch, and Stunning Halter Dress
2 months ago Grant Hardin, 'Devil in the Ozarks,' escaped from Arkansas prison; manhunt ongoing.
Emma Meesseman is a Belgian professional basketball player currently playing for Fenerbah e and the Belgian national team Drafted by...
Popular
Jeff Bezos is an American businessman renowned as the founder...
Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet from the Sun...
Elizabeth Warren is a prominent American politician and the senior...
Adam Schiff is an American politician and lawyer currently serving...
Candace Owens is an American political commentator and author known...
Chuck Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New...